Your story will appear on a Web page exactly the way you enter it here. You can wrap a word in square brackets to make it appear bold. For example [my story] would show as my story on the Web page containing your story.

TIP: Since most people scan Web pages, include your best thoughts in your first paragraph.

Below this line is how we used to present the news
before we introduced the Google news feed and the invitation form.

Old Zimbabwe News

28th October 2009

Zimbabwe shooting dead chauvinistic baboons

A local Board in Zimbabwe's mining town of Hwange
has hired a professional hunter to track down and kill baboons for reportedly
causing havoc in residential suburbs, the board’s technical committee chairman,
Councillor Andrew Mupande, has said.

In an interview with our correspondent in Hwange, south-west Zimbabwe, he said
following complaints from residents that baboons were now a menace, as they
break into houses to steal food, the board approached the Parks and Wildlife
Management Authority to deal with the problem.

“We spoke to national parks and they said we should look for a hunter. We looked
for a licensed hunter,” he said.
However, since the hunter started tracking them down, no baboon has been killed
and Mr Mupande said this could be due to their survival instincts. “The problem
is he can't locate them. None has been shot so far,” he said.
Residents said last year there was no problem with baboons, as most households
did not have food.

However, with the improving economy and the ready availability of food, troops
of baboons have descended in the Hwange Local Board’s residential suburbs of
Baobab, Empumalanga and Chibondo scavenging for food.

“The baboons are coming into houses, breaking windows and stealing food,” he
said.
Clr Mupande said the animals had no respect for women and children from whom
they sometimes snatch food. "They look down on women and children. Sometimes
they snatch food from them,” he said.

During a drive in Empumalanga, our correspondent witnessed baboons jumping over
brick and precast walls into houses.

According to notices in the town, residents were advised not to panic should
they hear sounds of gunfire, as a hunter would be hunting down baboons. Hwange
town is surrounded by a national park teeming with wildlife.

Motorists on Zimbabwe's major highways suddenly faced new tolls along the road
Tuesday as well as long delays and much confusion as the government introduced a
revenue measure intended to fund improvements to the country's often deadly road
system.

Correspondent Thomas Chiripasi of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe reported from some
new toll stations along the dangerously dilapidated Harare-Masvingo highway.

The introduction of tolls came on the heels of yet another multi-fatality crash,
the latest involving a private vehicle and a bus operated by the state-run
Zimbabwe United Passenger Co. Ltd. The collision Monday between Harare and
Chinhoyi, to the north, claimed 11 lives.

Pointing to such tragedies and others in the recent past including bus accidents
on the Harare-Masvingo road and in Mount Darwin in which 56 people died, the
Consumer Council of Zimbabwe welcomed the introduction of tolls to fund highway
safety improvements.

In one high-profile case, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's wife Susan was
killed in March when a truck veered out of its lane on the Masvingo road and
sideswiped their vehicle.

Consumer Council Matabeleland Regional Officer Comfort Muchekeza said that
despite the short-term chaos and higher cost, tolls over the long run will save
Zimbabwean lives

Tuesday 4th August 2009

Kirsty Coventry Zimbabwe Swimmer Breaks
World Record

Harare — KIRSTY COVENTRY once again cemented her place among the world's
swimming immortals when she emerged from the just-ended 13th Final World
Championships in Rome, Italy, with two medals - one gold and a silver.

The United States-based Zimbabwean swimming sensation, who turns 26 next
month, also consolidated her place as the best female swimmer in the 200m
backstroke after setting a new world record time of 2 minutes 04.81 seconds on
Saturday night.

This was her third 200m backstroke world title.

Coventry then followed up her record-breaking feat on Saturday by winning a
silver medal in the 400m individual medley event on the last day of the
championships on Sunday night.

THE Zimbabwe Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to manage
and develop Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) with nine Southern African
countries and a team lead by world-renowned explorer
Mr Kinglsey Holgate (KH),
who is currently touring the TFCA.

Reporter Kudakwashe Mutandi (KM) caught up with Mr Holgate in Victoria Falls to
highlight the expedition where they are currently exploring the Okavango Zambezi
TFCA. ......

Recently
worrying reports have popped up in the press that the Zambezi Seaway Scheme,
first mooted in the 1950’s by the Portuguese to reduce freight costs for
landlocked countries in Southern Africa, by opening up the Zambezi as a seaway,
is back on the cards.

Kaseke said the decision to lift the warnings followed
months of months of
discussions between the ZTA and US embassy officials in Harare who in turn
advised President Barrack Obama's administration to give the all clear to US
nationals wishing to visit the southern African country.

"It is the best thing that has happened to us," said
Kaseke, who spoke told
reporters after a meeting at the ZTA offices with US consul in Harare, James
Jimenez.

There was no immediate confirmation by the US mission
the claims by Kaseke
that would represent a small but positive shift in relations between
Washington and Harare.

In addition to regular travel warnings, the US and its
Western allies also
cut direct support to the Harare and imposed visa and financial sanctions
against President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle as punishment for
failure to uphold democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

The sanctions against Mugabe and his top lieutenants
remain in place and
direct financial aid also stays blocked.

The US and the European Union have said they want a
unity government formed
by Mugabe and longtime opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai last February to
implement genuine and comprehensive political and economic reforms before
they can lift sanctions and provide direct support to Harare

But the lifting of travel warnings to Zimbabwe will
assist the country's
once vibrant tourism sector rebound after years of decline due to political
violence and humanitarian crisis that scared away visitors.

The US and rich Western countries have been the
traditional source market
for Zimbabwe's tourism sector even after Mugabe's government promoted a new
'Look East' policy after his quarrel with America and Europe.

Kaseke expressed hope that the lifting of US travel
warnings would influence
other Western nations to follow suit.

"There will be no more warnings against US citizens
travelling to Zimbabwe
but just guidance .. and we hope we will see more of these warnings being
lifted," he said.

Zimbabwe's new unity government between President Robert
Mugabe and Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has placed the tourism industry at the core of
its efforts to turnaround the economy after years of a political stalemate
and economic decline affected arrivals from Western countries.

However, the country faces major challenges in
refurbishing airports, roads,
telecommunications, hotels and other related infrastructure, as well as
repairing the tainted image before arrivals can hit South Africa's levels of
11 million. - ZimOnline

Thursday 9th April 2009-Zimbabwe News

Only In Zimbabwe!!!!

The opposition newspaper of Zimbabwe held a unique
advertising campaign. All promotional materials were made of money.
In Zimbabwe it is not difficult.

These are all Zimbabwean Dollars Notes -which are now useless and have been
scraped in favour of a US$ currency. Unique Don't You Think!!!!

WALK ACROSS HWANGE APRIL 2009

Monday 30th March 2009-Zimbabwe News

In April 2009 an intrepid band led by well-known guide Gordon
Putterill and including top photographer Chris Weston, will attempt to be the
first to walk the full breadth of Hwange National Park from west to east
unsupported.

In excess of 100km and over six days, the harsh semi-Kalahari
terrain and densely populated elephant population will provide numerous
challenges.

The goal is to raise desperately-needed funds and awareness for
Hwange, one of Africa's oldest and most legendary parks which is celebrating its
80th Anniversary!

Funds raised will be distributed equally between the Friends of
Hwange Trust (www.hwangetrust.com)
and impoverished Mambanje Primary School which resides on Hwange's eastern
border. Sponsorship and support are requested in the way of cash, per km walked,
school books and stationery for the school, solar pump and windmill sponsorship,
and fuel for water pumps.

Please contact us if you would like a sponsorship form should
you be kind enough to sponsor.

Friends of Hwange is a private trust dedicated to looking after
10 major waterholes in Hwange, and employs a full-time maintenance manager in
the Park and has installed five hi-tech windmills as a long-term solution to
Hwange’s water supply problems.

Hwange, half the size of Belgium at 14,500 sq. km, is totally
reliant in the dry season on diesel driven boreholes, of which there are over 60
in the Park. Although the windmills have helped significantly, they cannot
output the volumes of water required for Hwange’s 30,000 elephants.

The trustees of FOH are committed to the long-term prosperity of
Hwange and are embarking on using solar power for some waterholes. At its peak
Hwange NP supported over 1500 families by way of employment in and around the
Park. It is a priceless asset waiting to once more take its place when momentous
tourism resumes. Hwange is also an integral part of the new Kavango-Zambezi
Transfrontier Park.

Mambanje Primary School hold the next generation who currently
receive important conservation education from organizations in Hwange NP.
However their major challenges are shortages of school books and stationery,
decent salaries for teachers, and other basic infrastructure needs. Funds raised
for Mambanje will be carefully distributed to ensure the children receive the
most effective conservation education and their highest priority needs are met.

Many thanks for your support!

Zimbabwe News Updates

Matt Damon visits with Zimbabwe refugees

Thursday, 5th March 2009 11.15-Zimbabwe
News

Musina -An emotional Matt Damon listened to a Zimbabwean woman describe how she was raped while pregnant on a perilous journey across the border into South Africa.

The Hollywood actor visited refugee
centres in Musina on the South African border with Zimbabwe as part of his work with the human rights organization he started with a number of other celebrities.

An estimated 3 million Zimbabweans have fled the economic collapse and dire humanitarian conditions in their country for South Africa.

Damon, who is in South Africa shooting a movie, said in an exclusive interview with the AP Tuesday that he was "shocked and saddened" by the plight of the people he had spoken to. He said conditions were "untenable" and called on international and regional leaders to take action.

Zimbabwe News

PM Tsvangirai says Zimbabwe safe tourist destination

Wednesday, 24th February 2009 12.45 HARARE - The newly sworn-in Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has said the west and the rest of the international community are encouraged to come to Zimbabwe without any security fears as the nation is a safe tourist destination, ZBC News reported on Tuesday.

Tsvangirai said this during a business meeting in central Zimbabwe city Gweru. He said the government is committed to revitalizing the country's lucrative tourism sector, saying they are already persuading the west to lift travel warnings issued against Zimbabwe.

Tsvangirai said Zimbabwe is not at war, therefore there is no reason for the country to be described as an unsafe destination.

The west, especially Britain and Australia, have described Zimbabwe as an unsafe tourist destination, in some instances banning their cricket teams from touring the country.

Zimbabwe News Updates

Zimbabwe back on the travel itinerary

Tuesday, 20 Jan 2009 11:15
-Zimbabwe News

Tour operators are to return to
Zimbabwe this March after a revision of Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advice.

From April 2008 routes were diverted into neighbouring
Zambia while the FCO advised against all but essential travel to the troubled country. The closure of campsites and other facilities also hindered any plans to re-instate overland routes.

Facilities are now available and so, along with the amended FCO advice, operators are beginning to return to Zimbabwe.

Chris Wrede, one of tour operator Oasis Overland’s directors, travelled to Zimbabwe last month, and commented: "The slow erosion of facilities and the poverty is very saddening when compared to the thriving Zimbabwe of seven years ago.

"However, the welcome from local people was warmer than ever and I was surprised at the openness and honesty in which they discuss their country’s economic and political problems.

"Many people feel rather abandoned by the west and in particular those who work in tourism are desperate for income. Victoria Falls was like a ghost town as far as tourists were concerned, but security was never an issue."

Oasis Overland’s trips starting in Kenya this month will travel south through Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique to Zimbabwe, continuing to
Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Whilst in Zimbabwe, the itinerary includes the
Great Zimbabwe Ruins, a private game ranch, Matobo National Park and
Victoria Falls.

The FCO advice remains against travel to high density – low income suburban areas.

Chris O'Toole

4th December 2008-Zimbabwe News

Zimbabwe News – Cholera Outbreaks

As reported in the latest news reports, the Cholera outbreak as been declared a national emergency in Zimbabwe.
Aid organizations from around the world are once again coming to our assistance to get control of the situation.

From the map below you will see that there have been no reported cases in the Victoria Falls region to date.

Many of the tour operators and the private sector in Victoria Falls are involved in supporting and supplying funds for the maintenance and infrastructure of the water treatment system – this ensures the health and safety of all visitors and local residents.

However we do recommend that standard precautions should be taken

• Washing hands before eating and after using the bathroom

• Cleaning and washing all vegetables and fruit before eating them – try to avoid buying fruit from local vendors – rather buy from shops or hotels.

• Buy bottled water from reliable sources.

• Travellers visiting villages and out of town places are highly recommend not to drink the water from any rivers or streams – and we also would advise not to eat any meat that has not be brought from a shop or hotel.